McFall targets top six for Ports

By Stuart McKinley

Ronnie McFall is confident that Portadown will keep battling to secure a top-six finish in the Danske Bank Premiership. And, while the Ports have lost their last three leagues games, McFall has seen enough in recent performances to give him the belief that even without striker Darren Murray - who is expected to join Cliftonville in this month's transfer window - the team will deliver goals.

Ronnie McFall is confident that Portadown will keep battling to secure a top-six finish in the Danske Bank Premiership. And, while the Ports have lost their last three leagues games, McFall has seen enough in recent performances to give him the belief that even without striker Darren Murray - who is expected to join Cliftonville in this month's transfer window - the team will deliver goals.

The Shamrock Park men have ground to make up if they are to survive the cut after 33 games as they sit six points behind sixth-placed Glentoran, with a match in hand.

It is not just the fact that they have 11 games to go before the split at the end of March - with one of those being against the Glens - that has given McFall reassurance they his team can hit their targets.

"We scored six goals against Wakehurst in the Irish Cup, but we've played better than that in the last few weeks," said McFall, whose side face Ballinamallard United at Ferney Park tonight.

"Against Glenavon we more than matched them and even down to 10 men we'd the best chances and didn't take them.

"And against Ballymena I thought we were the better side. We scored three and could have scored seven or eight, but the defending was poor."

The win over Wakehurst has lifted spirits after a tough Christmas period at Shamrock Park and McFall is now seeking a winning run, with a trip to Warrenpoint on Tuesday night to follow the game against the Mallards.

"Confidence comes back when you win matches and scoring goals only adds to that," he said.

"We look to Ballinamallard and we know it will be a hard match going there."

While McFall would prefer Murray to stay, he is resigned to the fact that parting ways is better for all concerned.

The positive to come out of the striker's impending departure is that McFall can now enter the market for new faces.

"Hopefully it will free up his wages to bring somebody in," said McFall. "We just have to see what's about and start hunting."

Belfast Telegraph

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